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Willow is a three year old Percheron cross. Willow had thirty days of training with Melissa before attending a horsemanship clinic at Harry Whitney's in Arizona. |
| This young mare has difficulty letting go of a thought that keeps her from moving forward. In the photo below, Melissa and Harry Whitney help Willow get her thought "unstuck." They want her to take her thought forward, letting go of thoughts of the flag. Once she lets go of that, she will take her thought forward and then her feet will go as well, in essence freeing her movement. A flag simulates the movement and noise of a rider on this young horse. You will notice that when the flag is higher the expression of the horse indicates that she is concerned. She "sucks back" and has difficulty releasing her thought (and feet) to go forward. |  |
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In the photo below, Willow begins to take her thought off the flag. She begins to think forward. Her feet are now released to go forward as well.  |
Once saddled, Melissa works on the same concept with Willow.
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 Now that Melissa is aboard, Willow is worried about the rider. She reverts back to the previous difficulty she had with letting her thought go forward. Melissa knows that it is the responsibility of the rider to help the horse build her confidence enough so that she can let go of these concerns. This is true with any horse, and definitely with a young horse like Willow. Once Willow's confidence builds, her thought can go forward, taking her feet with her. There is a difference between a horse willing to go forward TO something and a horse that is fleeing FROM something. Many horses will go forward, but it may actually be a fleeing from the rider's request rather than a change of thought that is in harmony with the rider's thoughts. |
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Given some time, the same principles that Melissa used to help Willow during ground work, help with mounted work. In the photo
on the left, Willow is beginning to let loose of her thought and concern about the rider. With that "freeing up" comes the ability to allow
her thought to go forward. Her feet, and body, follow.
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